The field of endoscopy includes medical diagnostic and therapeutic disciplines that utilize endoscopes to view otherwise inaccessible locations in the body using minimally invasive surgical procedures. Endoscopes typically include a small, light-weight camera located at the distal tip of the endoscope to capture images.
In known systems, endoscopic cameras are typically connected to a Camera Control Unit (“CCU”), with the CCU processing and displaying the imaging data transmitted from the endoscopic camera. Often, different medical procedures require different types of cameras, which leads to a relatively large inventory of cameras. Additionally, each type of camera must be compatible with the CCU to function correctly. As such, the CCU is typically provided with software to process and operate a variety of different camera technologies, and as new technologies become available, the CCU may be updated to properly process images from the new camera. Additionally, often the CCU hardware becomes outdated, thus requiring an entirely new CCU to process the images of both old and new camera technologies used by a physician.
CCUs may be designed to be reprogrammable and reconfigurable, and as such, an older model CCU may sometimes be upgraded or configured to work with a new camera technology. However, in many cases the older model CCU may be too outdated to update or it may be less costly to replace the older model CCU with a new one because the reconfiguring of the CCU is often a time and labor intensive process that requires the CCU be returned to the manufacturer for disassembly, installation of new components, and testing. Moreover, while it may be possible to update software in older model CCUs, the existing hardware in older model CCUs may not allow for the older model CCUs to support software for newer technology image sensors and image formats provided with newly developed camera technology.
In known systems, endoscopic cameras used during endoscopic surgery are typically referred to as camera heads. To achieve the desired size and weight of the camera heads, camera head and/or integrated endoscope-camera assembly electronics are typically separated physically from the majority of circuitry required to process and output high-quality, color video images. Electronics for converting a “raw” or “unprocessed” video signal to a displayable format are typically housed in the CCU. In known systems, CCUs may be placed on or in carts, in or on ceiling boom arms, or may be permanently wall-mounted.
In known video imaging systems, a cable may connect a camera head to a CCU. When image data is acquired, or picked up, it is sent by the camera head to the CCU through the cable. Upon receiving the image data from the camera head, the CCU processes the signal and displays the acquired image on a viewing device. Generally, the image is used by a medical professional and/or for storage on various media (i.e., video cassette recorder, floppy disk, hard drives, flash drives, compact disks, digital video disks, and the like) and/or for transmission to remote locations in various manners, such as by the Intranet, Internet, radio transmission, and the like.
The CCU may also send commands to the camera head to adjust various settings on the camera head (i.e. color balance, electronic shutter for light sensitivity, and other optical and electronic characteristics).
Traditionally, CCUs are compatible with a limited number of camera heads. A CCU's hardware is usually difficult to configure for proper communication with varying types of camera heads because camera heads use varying types of imaging devices that can differ in pixel resolution, timing requirements (i.e. PAL, NTSC, Progressive, and other formats), signal output type (i.e. analog or digital), physical size, and in other characteristics. This is particularly the case for stereoscopic (3D) cameras.
Analog video system types differ in scanning principles, resolution capability, sampling rates, aspect ratios, synchronization, bandwidth, and the like. Moreover, video system types may differ between broadcast, closed circuit, and computer applications. Analog video systems are typically classified as either composite (luminance and chrominance components multiplexed into a single signal) or component (separate signals for each chrominance component, and synchronization signals). In broadcasting applications, composite formats are generally used. For closed circuit systems (such as video production and editing, medical, industrial, and scientific applications) component formats are typically used. The primary composite analog video standards used are PAL, NTSC, and SECAM, with one specific standard used in different geographical areas.
Digital video systems are typically differentiated by their application. Advanced television (ATV), high definition television (HDTV), and computer systems may differ in format and signal characteristics. In some areas, digital video formats and standards are currently being developed and adopted. The Society of Motion Picture and Television Engineers (SMPTE) normally defines and adopts voluminous digital video formal standards. As each is adopted, various applications, and application improvements generally are realized. Some digital video standards currently in use are: IEEE-1394 FireWire®, ISO/IEC IS 13818, International Standard (1994), MPEG-2, and ITU-R BT.601-4 (1994) Encoding Parameters of Digital Television for Studios.
Furthermore, there may be variability from device to device of the same type, which may affect camera head performance. Additionally, commands sent from the CCU to the camera head are generally unique depending upon the camera head type being used. Moreover, as repairs, modifications, or improvements are made to camera heads, the CCU, which was originally designed to be compatible with the older camera head, may become incompatible and may require upgrading as well.
3D camera heads utilize stereoscopic imaging, which typically comprises two imaging devices (e.g., a right imager and a left imager) where the digital image streams from the two imaging devices are combined into a single 3D image stream. In function, the right and the left imagers each generate data line-by-line, which is combined or interleaved and then sent to the CCU as a single data stream. When the image data of the two image streams is interleaved, every other line from each of the right and left imagers of the image streams are interleaved. This results in a loss of resolution, as the interleaved data stream sent to the CCU still requires the same bandwidth as is produced by a single imager. While through the interleaving process only every other line from each imager is used, the combined 3D image stream still sends the same amount of data (e.g., the combined data from each imager) to the CCU as is produced by a single imager, albeit at a lower resolution. The processing power for interleaving the two image streams requires a camera head that has increased size and/or weight to satisfy the power consumption required to interleave the two image streams. The variability of these factors can be dramatic depending on the type of the stereoscopic cameras used.
Furthermore, existing systems exhibit 3D image degradation that includes an increase in stereoscopic image crosstalk, increase in color bleed between the left and right images, decreased image contrast and loss of image structural detail.
This overall variability in camera heads, either caused by imaging device technologies or by CCU command characteristics, often results in a CCU being specifically designed to be compatible with a specific camera head type. Also, consumers may desire different capabilities related to specific applications of the cameras, such as medical, industrial, and scientific uses. Such desired system capabilities include picture in picture (PIP), reverse video (image flip), electronic zoom, electronic rotation, still image capture, and stereoscopic video interface.
Moreover, CCUs are typically designed for use with camera head technologies currently in existence, and are not designed to anticipate and accommodate camera heads yet to be developed. Hence, CCUs are typically not designed to be compatible with future camera head technologies; particularly, image device, image signal transmission technologies and 3D technologies. These differences between older and newer camera heads also contribute to compatibility problems.
Because CCUs are usually compatible with limited quantities of camera heads, CCUs are typically discarded in favor of ones that were designed concurrently and/or to be compatible with particular camera head technologies. Consequently, CCUs have become an added expense often associated with changing imaging devices or camera heads.
It is typically desired for camera heads to be improved due to the demand from consumers to have the latest technology and advancements in equipment. Moreover, CCUs used in medical and veterinary fields are increasingly being mounted permanently in equipment bays or carts and/or permanently mounted within the walls of surgical operating rooms themselves. The expense associated with replacing these existing CCUs to maintain compatibility with camera heads is subsequently passed onto consumers.
Thus, there exists a need for a modular imaging system that overcomes the disadvantages of the prior art. There exists a need to provide a system having a control module connectable to multiple input modules that may be connected to various camera heads and that may receive data in various formats from various camera heads. There exists a need for the input module to be connected to a control module, the input module and control module able to be updated or reprogrammed in an efficient and cost effective manner, rather than replacing the older input module or control module with a newer module. There exists a need for the modular imaging system, including at least one input module and a control module, to be readily compatible with existing and future imaging technologies and that allows for the at least one input module and the control module to be backwards and forwards compatible.
It is also desired to configure and control features of one module from another module upon attachment of one module to another via the cable. It is also desired to control the power state of one module via the other module upon attachment of the modules via the cable.